The reform of the EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences #GSP, which provides significant tariff reductions to developing countries’ exports to the EU, is a major opportunity to improve the lives and livelihoods of over 2 billion people.🧵
Today the European Parliament’s @EP_Trade committee has sent a clear message that the forthcoming #GSP Regulation must be squarely focused on the core objectives of #PovertyEradication and #SustainableDevelopment.
The position adopted by @EP_Trade calls for enhancing the promotion of International Human Rights, Labour and Environmental Standards in the #GSP Regulation. Beneficiary countries of the GSP Standard scheme must sign up to more than 30 international conventions.
Countries wishing to benefit from the even more generous #GSP+ preferences must commit to truly putting those 30+ conventions into practice with a concrete plan of action containing clear deadlines.
The Parliament emphasises predictability, transparency and the involvement of civil society and other stakeholders as crucial means to achieve the core objectives of #GSP.
Scorecards describing progress in implementing the conventions must be publicly disclosed. Single Entry Point for complaints must be opened to partner country civil society.
Withdrawal of preferences shall be the very last resort – that is why it is necessary to engage early with countries on a negative trajectory to avoid a withdrawal disaster – the most vulnerable usually are the most affected.
At the same time, clear indicators must be established for what triggers the withdrawal of preferences – and once this threshold has been crossed, the process is to be swift!
In countries with often limited capacity, development assistance and technical support need to be closely linked to achieve effective implementation and full ratification of the international conventions.
The Parliament rejects moves by the Commission to link trade preferences to migration and the readmission of refused asylum seekers. A comprehensive partnership on migration is needed, not the instrumentalization of trade which detracts from the core objectives of #GSP.
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